Maria Miller calls for broadband rollout plans to be made public

Authorities have been urged to publish information on communities to be included in broadband rollouts.

Culture Secretary Maria Miller has called for the publication of detailed maps showing which areas are in line to benefit from broadband network upgrades.

Rejecting previous claims that such information is commercially sensitive and should therefore remain private, Ms Miller said all authorities should unveil the infrastructure improvement plans for their communities.

In a letter to councils seen by the Telegraph, the politician said details of future rollouts would assist other broadband providers and community groups in coming to a decision about possibly developing their own local projects.

"It will also help clarify the position of those community broadband projects whose schemes are already planned in some detail," she added. "I am keen to see this information made available."

Many smaller network operators - known as altnets - have complained that incumbent provider BT has been unwilling to share details about the so-called 'final ten per cent' of locations that are set to miss out on super-fast connectivity under the government's Broadband Delivery UK framework.

However, BT insists it is not withholding information and that its rollout plans are simply not developed enough to establish the areas that will definitely not be upgraded.